British Journal of Health Psychology · 2003 · 79 citations · 0 references
Social SciencesCommunity HealthHealth BehaviorBehavioral HealthChronic Illness Self-managementHealth PsychologyChronic DiseaseChronic IllnessChronic Illness ManagementDiabetes Self-managementSelf-managementSymptom Self-managementChronic Disease Symptom ManagementDisease DurationDisease Self-managementMultiple Baseline DesignSelf-efficacy In Symptom ManagementSelf-management BehaviorsSelf-reported Health StatusSelf-training
Participants had a range of chronic diseases including endometriosis, depression, diabetes, myalgic encephalomyelitis, osteoporosis and polio. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a community‑based Chronic Disease Self‑management Course for UK participants with various chronic diseases. A multiple‑baseline pre‑test/post‑test design was used with 185 participants who completed self‑reported questionnaires before and four months after attending a CDC delivered by lay tutors in community settings. Participants showed small‑to‑moderate gains in cognitive symptom management, self‑efficacy, and physician communication, modest reductions in fatigue, anxiety, depression, and health distress, but no change in health‑care use or exercise, indicating that self‑management training can enhance self‑efficacy, cognitive‑behavioural skills, and certain physical and psychological outcomes.
To determine the effectiveness of a community-based Chronic Disease Self-management Course (CDC) for UK participants with a range of chronic diseases.The study was a multiple baseline, pre-test post test design with a sample of 185 participants who attended a CDC delivered in community settings by lay tutors, in the UK.Data were collected by self-completed questionnaires before attendance and at four-month follow-up.The sample comprised 72% women (mean age = 53 years, mean disease duration = 16 years). The main chronic diseases included endometriosis, depression, diabetes, myalgic encephalomyelitis, osteoporosis and polio. Adjusting for baseline values and gender, small to moderate increases were found on cognitive symptom management, self-efficacy (disease and symptoms) and communication with physician. A similar sized decrease was found on fatigue, and small decreases were evident on anxious and depressed moods, and health distress. There were no changes in the use of health care resources, or on self-reported exercise behaviour.The results of this exploratory study suggest that self-management training for people with chronic diseases can offer benefits in terms of enhanced self-efficacy, greater use of cognitive behavioural techniques, and improvement in some aspects of physical and psychological well-being.